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Political Standing for March 1, 2013

By James Pindell, WMUR.com Political Reporter

Published On: Mar 01 2013 07:27:27 PM EST

Saturday, 7:15 a.m., Political Scoop: My guest is Steve Norton, of the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies. This week his group released a bombshell of a report suggesting that expanded gambling may not be such a good bet for the state. He comes on to explain what he found and to answer his critics.

Sunday, 10 a.m., CloseUP: The show focuses on two topics dominating Concord: Expanding Gambling with Norton, Sen. Chuck Morse, R-Salem, and Sen. Andrew Hosmer, D-Laconia, and the gas tax proposal with Rep. David Campbell, D-Nashua, and Rep. John Burt, R-Goffstown.

Sunday, Noon, This Week with George Stephanopoulos: Sen. Kelly Ayotte and White House advisor Gene Sperling are guests.

The Washington Post says that of the 36 races for governor in 2014, New Hampshire ranks as the 15th most likely to change parties, which means it is unlikely. “Unless Hassan starts to look really unpopular and some bigger names come calling, Democrats look like a fairly safe bet to hold on here,” the posting said.

In Case You Missed It

This is your New Hampshire legislature: On the same day that state Sen. Sam Cataldo posts a Facebook status that simply read, “IMPEACH OBAMA,” House Speaker Terie Norelli posted a cute cat video on her Facebook page.

Noted

Former Republican Executive Councilor Bill Cahill called Thursday to say that despite what one may read in the newspaper he is not running for Congress in the Second District, and he wishes all of the attention would go away.

Public Service Announcement

A reminder to all state Representatives who still apparently have not learned the lesson: when you bring up Hitler in any speech whatever point you were making gets lost.

Trivia

Last week I asked: Which former state Representative claims credit for convincing then-Treasury Secretary Larry Summers to go with the motto Live Free or Die on New Hampshire’s commemorative quarter instead of “The Granite State”?

Nobody offered a guess, but the answer is Greg Carson, the husband of state Sen. Sharon Carson.

For this week: Which current state Senator lists “college basketball” as a source of income?

Be the first to give the answer in an email (jpindell [at] hearst [dot] com), and I’ll recognize you next week.

Questions For The Weekend

So where does the gambling bill stand in the House right now?

If he wanted to cause trouble wouldn’t Bill O’Brien offer an amendment on the gambling bill that would require a certain percentage of casino licensing fees go to reduce business taxes to remind on the fence that gambling would “grow government.”

What is the relationship between Gov. Maggie Hassan and House Speaker Terie Norelli like these days exactly? Hassan did put Norelli in a box, after all.

Does anyone understand the importance of the Manchester Democrats holding their election for chairman tomorrow on the future of New Hampshire politics?

With his little Facebook video this week -- complete with Obama picture in background -- was Manchester Alderman Garth Corriveau trying out to be the Leslie Knope of New Hampshire?

If you are a lobbyist wanting to discuss anything other than gambling or transportation does everyone just ignore you in Concord?

The weekly repeated question: What is Frank Guinta going to do in 2014?

If not Kevin Smith as the Republican gubernatorial nominee, then who?

Has anyone seen Gene Chandler quoted anywhere lately?

Will there be any good races for mayor this year or just blowouts?

Questions from “Phil” and “Bob” on the Portsmouth Herald editorial board livestream with Gov. Hassan sure sound like Republican operatives as well as the Bob who asked Hassan a question on NHPR Friday. Republicans wouldn’t do that, would they?

DOUBLE UP

Kelly Ayotte: Most of the 535 members of Congress and the president have served in Washington and have been in politics longer than New Hampshire’s Kelly Ayotte. All were looking for some way to capitalize politically on sequestration. More than pretty much anyone else in the country she took on both political parties, offered a solution, was praised by Democrts, and she is getting a lot of national media reporting. Well played.

UP

Greg Moore: He is taking over as the New Hampshire State Director of Americans for Prosperity. There aren’t a lot of positions in New Hampshire politics that actually pay and offer an opportunity to do big things, but this is one of them. Moore replaces Corey Lewendowski, who was promoted to oversee half the country. (AFP is restructuring after the 2012 election that didn’t go so well for them.)

Chris Pappas and Stefany Shaheen: The pair have signed on to be co-chairs to the upcoming state Democrats 100 Club dinner in April.

Mary Jane Waller: The Concord Democrat’s quote to the Union Leader that putting expanded gambling in the budget was “a mistake” set tongues wagging all day.

DOWN

Maggie Hassan: The state’s newspapers continue to criticize her budget, the state’s non-partisan think tank suggests gambling may not be worth the cost-benefit analysis, and her own House Democrats are starting to grumble.

Patrick Arnold: At a time when most of Manchester doesn’t really know him and he is plotting a run for mayor, being in the paper as potentially breaking state campaign finance laws is not a good introduction.

Mark Warden: The Manchester Republican state Representative messed up even going there in comments making light of domestic abuse. Even worse, once he was in the hole he kept digging. Stop digging.

NH convenience store owners: First the cigarette tax will go up, possibly the gas tax will go up, expanded gambling could hurt lottery sales, and for a while there was talk of selling beer in state liquor stores. This group cannot catch a break.

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